The study suggests children who suck their thumbs or bite their nails could suffer fewer allergies in later life. "The findings support the 'hygiene hypothesis', which suggests that being exposed to microbes as a child reduces your risk of developing allergies." At 13, the prevalence of sensitisation was lower among children who had sucked their thumbs or bitten their nails. Despite the findings, those behind the study did not suggest children be encouraged to take up thumb-sucking or nail-biting. Children who had both bitten their nails and sucked their thumbs had an even lower risk of allergy -- 31 per cent, Hancox said.

Source: New Zealand Herald July 11, 2016 06:11 UTC